The Pittsburgh Steelers expect to hear any day now about the team playing in Ireland in the very near future. At least they hope they do, particularly Art Rooney II. He doesn’t even seem to be worried about the fact that it will cost him in-stadium attendance revenue.
Speaking to Ashley Liotus on WTAE, Rooney confirmed the Steelers would be the home team in an Ireland-staged game. They could be playing said game during the 2025 season, which would mean just eight games at Acrisure Stadium.
That might sound like the right amount, but the Steelers played nine away games in 2024. The 2025 season would be their turn to play nine games at home. While they technically would if they played in Ireland, one will technically be in a neutral stadium.
“We’re keeping our fingers crossed. We would like to get that information soon about a game in Ireland”, Rooney told Loitus about the Steelers’ anticipated overseas game. She notes that Rooney confirmed said game would be a Steelers home game.
When asked about giving up a game in Acrisure Stadium, Rooney said that “it wouldn’t happen very often. It would be a rare occasion”. And under recent NFL changes, every team will have to play overseas, not just the Steelers. They are unusually gung-ho about visiting Ireland, given the Rooney family’s history. But they are probably not more inclined as a team to win there than other teams are. It’s not like Art Rooney II is throwing the ball.
Last season, the Steelers went 5-3 at home but were 5-1 before their late-season slide. They finished 5-4 on the road in the regular season, then lost on the road in the playoffs, too. But they also went 5-4 at home in 2023, as well. And the year before that, they went 4-4, so it’s not as though Acrisure has been a bounty of fortune.
Still, you never hear about teams being excited about giving up a home game. After all, the NFL is still a business, and home games drive revenue. Without fans in the stands in 2020, for example, the salary cap tanked before rebounding.
Of course, it doesn’t matter where the Steelers play, as long as they win. Or in the event that they end up tanking, intentionally or not, as long as they lose. Still, I can’t help but wonder how gung-ho Rooney would be if Pittsburgh’s international setting were somewhere less intriguing.
